When using a lathe, particularly a wood turning lathe, it is a common practice to place the woodworking tool against a rest located adjacent the workpiece. Typical of these rests is the rest disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 1,240,474 (Moore et al). The tool rest disclosed in this patent includes an upper edge which is placed adjacent the workpiece and on which the tool rests. The position of the upper edge is adjustable and positionable along the length of the workpiece. However, it has long been recognized that when using a hand tool, there is a danger that the hand tool will be flipped about the upper edge of the tool rest due to too great an engagement with the workpiece. In order to prevent this problem, a tool holder having a cantilevered arm from which an adjustable stop projects has been disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,913,019 (Sprague). This tool holder also has a slot in which the tool rests and any flipping motion about this rest is prevented by the stop.
A wood lathe cutting tool in which the tendency of the tool to flip is substantially eliminated is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,095,630 (Kirk et al). This tool has the turning force of the workpiece directed substantially perpendicular to a holding base located beneath the workpiece. A relatively flat and long work rest is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 850,874 (Tripp).
There are also disclosed in the prior art a number of tool work holders in which the tool is securely attached to a tool rest. Generally, the tool workholder is mechanically adjustable relative to the workpiece. Typical of such tool holders are those disclosed in the following U.S. patents: U.S. Pat. No. 1,036,257 (Kacsmarik); No. 988,630 (Diederich); No. 4,063,577 (Tennant); No. 839,752 (Guenzler); and No. 182,762 (Kinney).